PU-PGI released ‘Noise Pollution’ awareness booklet 

Chandigarh, April 25, 2023: Today, Dr. Prashant Gargava, Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi, released a pictorial booklet, ‘Noise Pollution: A Silent Killer’, on the occasion of ‘International Noise Awareness Day’.
 
The pictorial booklet is developed and designed by Dr. Suman Mor, Associate Professor, Department of Environment Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh and Dr. Ravindra Khaiwal, Professor, Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. They mentioned that noise pollution is a comparatively underrated pollution that can potentially cause auditory and non-auditory health effects and public nuisance. Hence, they developed this booklet to educate the commoner about the adverse impact of noise pollution and engage them to minimize the associated risk. 
 
Dr. Prashant Gargava, Member Secretary, CPCB, mentioned that environmental background noise levels have increased over time, affecting our quality of life, but we pay the least concern. He added that creating awareness about noise pollution and engaging the commoner to reduce exposure to loud noise will help to minimize the associated risk. Dr. Gargava said the theme ‘Protect Your Hearing, Protect Your Health’ emphasize that we need to focus on noise pollution for healthier surroundings.
 
Dr. Suman Mor, Department of Environment Studies, Panjab University, described that the booklet compiles various indoor and outdoor sources of noise pollution, such as transportation, commercial activities, noise and vibration from construction sites, recreational sources, etc. She added that we tried to explain how noise pollution affects human health and the ecosystem through simple pictorials.
 
Prof. Ravindra Khaiwal, PGIMER, Chandigarh, mentioned that noise pollution booklet also explains different types of hearing loss, signs for their identification and instructions for better communication with people having hearing loss. He emphasized that we can reduce exposure to noise pollution through simple preventive measures involving individuals, communities and regulatory authorities. He added this includes strict compliance with the silence zone, monitoring noise, paying attention to the volume of personal hearing devices and planting trees as noise barriers.
 
The authors mentioned that this pictorial booklet is a part of the ‘Community Environmental Empowerment Program- CEEP’ project initiated under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India. The CEEP is a citizen-focused community mobilization program to promote sustainable practices for better health and the environment.
 
The authors specifically acknowledged the support from Prof. Renu Vig, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University and Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, Chandigarh. The pictorial booklet ‘Noise Pollution: A Silent Killer’ can be freely downloaded in multi-languages from their institutional website.